Neptune Coffee, Seattle

Many Seattle residents were awakened by a natural gas explosion in the Greenwood neighborhood. It has since been ruled an accident though the investigation continues to identify what ignited the blast.

Three businesses, including Neptune Coffee, were leveled by the explosion. Seattle Fire Department’s announcement of the ruling estimates damage to the building that housed those three businesses at $3 million. Nearly 40 other businesses experienced damage as well, according to a report in the Puget Sound Business Journal.

That the explosion happened early in the morning is the only reason the damage did not include more human casualties than it did. Nine firefighters suffered minor injuries because they were on scene investigating a natural gas leak report.

The concussive force, reportedly felt as far as 10 miles away, has drawn comparisons to a bomb going off or to what some felt during the 2001 Nisqually earthquake, according to local news reports and discussions on social media platforms.

Less than 24 hours after the explosion, Jason Malcom, member of the Baristas Guild of Washington State, started a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for the businesses affected. More than $35,000 has been raised for the “Greenwood Tragedy Campaign” so far.

Malcom is not alone in wanting to help. The Phinney Neighborhood Association (PNA) has a disaster relief fund, a web page with information about other ways people can donate or volunteer, and is maintaining a calendar of listing other fundraising events.

UPDATE 6pm Pacific, March 11, 2016:

Jesse Nelson, owner of Conduit Coffee, lives about a block away from where Neptune Coffee once was and is assisting with the relief fundraising efforts. Windows in his home showed signs of stress from the explosion.

Nelson said, "I can't imagine what it would be like to have my business blown apart."

What started out as a GoFundMe campaign for $25,000 for the employees of Neptune Coffee rapidly outgrew that initial fundraising goal in both the amount raised and the intended recipients, now also including employees of Mr Gyros, and Greenwood Quick Stop as well as other area businesses having to remain closed. (At least five others will remain closed while safety and insurance investigations continue.)

The funds will be received by PNA for disbursement. Nelson told STiR that he and Malcom are working with PNA to establish a letter of agreement to assure the intentions to use the funds as a stop-gap for for lost wages are honored.

Nelson also noted the original GoFundMe campaign will not continue indefinitely. In addition to the PNA webpages above, he suggested keeping an eye on two Facebook pages, NW Space Agency and Baristas Guild of Washington State, for announcements about additional fundraising events.